DrAwkward
08-23-2007, 12:25 PM
Introduction
Right now the feat respec system feels like the Towers of Hanoi puzzle. Its frustrating, because to change just one feat, you might have to juggle around some other feats to get everything to line up. Its complex, and that complexity is not readily apparant in the interface. Most of it is guesswork of "why can't I just trade these two feats?"
New Interface
A character walks up to Fred and says "Hey Fred, I want new feats."
Fred says "As you wish, surface-dwelling cattle. Lets talk this through and I'll quote you a price."
A screen pops up for you to pick your first level feat. It lists all the feats you qualified for at first level, and highlights in gold all of those feats that are currently on your character.
There is a cancel button, and a "Next" button that is disabled until you pick the feat.
You select the feat you want. If its a gold one, you aren't respeccing that one - so no price change.
If its not a gold one, it shows you owe one flawed shard and some cash.
If you do not have the appropriate shard, it show in red.
If you don't have enough money, the cash shows in red.
You press Next and then get your next feat, and so on.
For every feat past the first, there will be a back button.
Whenever you pick a non-gold feat, the shard and cash cost is updated.
As you go into feats you receive at higher levels, the better of a shard it takes and the higher the cost to swap.
Once you've selected all your feats over again, you get a summary screen showing the feats you'll have when you are done, and the total cost.
You will have the option to accept (if you can afford it) or cancel.
Noteworthy changes
* Taking a feat you had before is free, even if you end up taking it in a different slot.
* The shard and cost required is based on your level for that feat slot, not your actual character level.
* You don't have to take "filler" feats while swapping stuff around.
* You are more likely to get what you want without gnashing your teeth and swearing, but it will take longer.
Right now the feat respec system feels like the Towers of Hanoi puzzle. Its frustrating, because to change just one feat, you might have to juggle around some other feats to get everything to line up. Its complex, and that complexity is not readily apparant in the interface. Most of it is guesswork of "why can't I just trade these two feats?"
New Interface
A character walks up to Fred and says "Hey Fred, I want new feats."
Fred says "As you wish, surface-dwelling cattle. Lets talk this through and I'll quote you a price."
A screen pops up for you to pick your first level feat. It lists all the feats you qualified for at first level, and highlights in gold all of those feats that are currently on your character.
There is a cancel button, and a "Next" button that is disabled until you pick the feat.
You select the feat you want. If its a gold one, you aren't respeccing that one - so no price change.
If its not a gold one, it shows you owe one flawed shard and some cash.
If you do not have the appropriate shard, it show in red.
If you don't have enough money, the cash shows in red.
You press Next and then get your next feat, and so on.
For every feat past the first, there will be a back button.
Whenever you pick a non-gold feat, the shard and cash cost is updated.
As you go into feats you receive at higher levels, the better of a shard it takes and the higher the cost to swap.
Once you've selected all your feats over again, you get a summary screen showing the feats you'll have when you are done, and the total cost.
You will have the option to accept (if you can afford it) or cancel.
Noteworthy changes
* Taking a feat you had before is free, even if you end up taking it in a different slot.
* The shard and cost required is based on your level for that feat slot, not your actual character level.
* You don't have to take "filler" feats while swapping stuff around.
* You are more likely to get what you want without gnashing your teeth and swearing, but it will take longer.